AP SORAKA IS GOIN TO BE NERFD NEXT PATCH (UNOFFICIAL PATCH NOTES-VARUS PATCH) ACT NORMALLY AND CALM DOWN ILL UPDATE THIS GUIDE AND PROBABLY PLAY THROUGH ALL THE ITEMCHANGES AND THE NEW ITEM!!! it´s gonna be fun :)-Sorry for that, i had to drive crazy at that. Ap soraka was underrated so long... Needed to be done!







Uh Hello Summoners.
I am Louis also known as CapnLewDundee and I am a fan of funny builds and interesting concepts AND facerolling. Since i am a german my inglish iz not zhe yello of zhe egg but I will give my best to make this guide bearable for people who actually speak this language well.

Against all believes Soraka is a laning MONSTER. If you know how to use your abilities timed well and how to trade agressively you will come out ahead in trades thanks to (maybe) the best mid-range harrass in the game.


Base damage reduced to 60/85/110/135/160 from 60/90/120/150/180.
Ability power ratio increased to 0.4 from 0.25.
Cooldown reduced to 2.5 seconds from 3 seconds.
Mana cost reduced to 35/40/45/50/55 from 40/50/60/70/80.
Magic reduction per stack increased to 8/9/10/11/12 from 8 at all ranks.
Maximum stacks reduced to 10 from 20.
Range increased by 30.



So basically as it did since the beginning of time her q shreds through MR. Since the cooldown on this ability is quite low and the range aint too bad as well you can easily take down the enemies MR in a few seconds and suddenly do true damage. All of this happens in a sudden and very fast. Unknowing enemies will overextend and notice too late that they got -20 MR and why youre at full hp if you just had 100 hp about 2 secs ago. Of course this guide ain´t 100% serious but one of the main funfactors of soraka mid is that she herself is the ultimate bait.



Improved Soraka's basic attack to be more responsive.
Starcall mana cost adjusted to 20/30/40/50/60 from 35/40/45/50/55.
Astral Blessing mana cost adjusted to 80/110/140/170/200 from 90/110/130/150/170.
Infuse:
No longer affects Soraka when cast on allies and cannot be cast on self.
Ally mana restore increased to 40/80/120/160/200 mana from 25/50/75/100/125.

Don´t ask me why especially THIS buff made me doing it...

• Strong harrass
• Strong heal
• Awesome for double AP teams thanks to sick MR shred
• Fun
• Good pusher
• High damage output if ignored
• Makes people overextend(THE QUEEN OF BAITING)
• Easy farming for braindead people
• A good counterpick

• voulnerable to ganks.
• Trading blows in your lane autopushes which automatically leads to ganks
• Very squishy
• Easy to counterpick

Actually this isnt made for high elo. It´s more of a fun build which works out surprisingly well.
Theres no bigger satisfaction than going 10-1 with highest creep score ingame after getting blamed in teamchat since minute 1.


(Only play this in premade teams or at least with two other premades together except youre in the mood for stuff like this:
Derp(Malzahar): First time Soraka?
Me(Soraka): Nope. would you know please go bot or top or wherever you please.
Derp(Malzahar): OMG AP SORAKA?! ITS LOST WTF.Fuck you bitch I´m afk now! Go and die of cancer
Me(Soraka): :< )

This one is quite easy. Just declare that you are REALLY going mid. Many people won´t get it the first time. Don´t ask me why. It must be something with them.
If you got a partner with you let him support your point and help you making yours clear.
Mindless instalocking NEVER is an Option,since you can counterpick yourself quite easy with APraka.I´ll come back to this later.

If someone is yelling at you there are two options:
Yell back
Ignore it.
I would highly appreciate the second one.

Oh and also:
If it´s not a ranked be prepared for someone dodging the queue. This could happen about 1k times before you can already start your game.

I would recommend going for standard masteries.
Always depends on your lane though:



Expect good trades or those you come out ahead of.
everything easy. everything standard.
This really supports aggressive play in your lane.



expect to risk more when trading and play more passively. therefor this masterytree supports passive play. use your healtimings wisely.




go full def in masteries, go full aggression in lane. WHY THE HECK NOT?!


Not tooo much flexibility since youre really missing the Manareg on the Utility tree. but still worth a pick.

I can recommend running the already shown Runes in mid.
It´s quite standard.


A second option would be:
3x Movementspeed quints.

Your MS is quite low and your Scalings on q skill which is your main damage ability too. I don´t see a reason not to pick it up even though i prefer Flat AP quints.
But it clearly helps out at chasing down enemies and zoning.

Quite standard.

Best choices:


Long range engagements are Sorakas second weakness. Without rilays you wont have ANY cc. So you need to catch up with people you know. And since you neither got a huge spellcombo or a gamebreaking utilityspell to catch someone off guard(fE tibbers)flash-comboing in doesn´t make TOO MUCH sense. Therefore this is a very good choice, maybe as good as flash or even better... I´m still thinking about this one.


You expect to make kills in your lane. you expect to play aggressive and zone and autopush. you expect to get ignited so you need it to counterignite.
i think its kind of a must have.


Dare me now. But form my experience this spell, it is OP I know, it´s a free outofjailcard I know, but from my experience this isn´t TOO necessary. you can also run if you prefer long range engages or for ultimate baiting.


Very viable choice winning baits and good second out jail freecard. Overall a good spell especially vs sorakas biggest weakness: ganks.

First buy:
/or in some rare (above explained) cases
Should be clear. You got low MS you are squishy. you need lane sustain til level 4 so picking those up is pretty essential. i think i dont have to explain why... There are plenty of Generic Guides which explain the thought processes behind picking up Bootspots over dor0ns in the most match-ups.



Why not picking up MpenBoots?
Youre maybe a lil bit squishier than bodylotion made out of Milk squeezed from jellyfishes so you want to be tanky or profit the most from your spells at least.
The cdr´s on your heal/silence/ult , all your nondamagespells are extremely important to lower so picking up these:
(maybe: ) over these: should be superior.




Provides you extra MR and your enemies lower MR. Your MRshred and your passive combined actually are enough to beat the living hell out of those people, but completely naked people are more naked people than people in half naked Magic resistant armors you know ;o
Also it provides you alot of tankyness. It´s actually a very very good item especiall for doubleAP comps.
Pros: MR, Mr-reduction, AP
Cons: uh .... It´s a lilbit expensive and you got no item you transition out of so building it will take some time and wont give too much MR early on nor too much AP. Allthough is a very strong item in lane.




Great defensive item. You can pick up a early and go through laningphase without trouble. I can only recommend it as deensive Item though.
Cons: Doesnt provide you AP nor CDR
Pros: Alot of MR (Vs double AP comps or fed APcarries)+ shield +HP +Lanesustain thx to passive on cataclyst.




Pretty perfect for Lategame. Not too much to say about. Gives you plenty of MR and Armor which you need both and gifts you the gift of live twice.




Youre getting really tanky through this item:
It´s not sooooo expensive and the most effective Armoritem. The CDR also helps you out alot.
Pros: CDR and alot of armor which soraka really needs since her Basearmor is prettyyyy daaaaaaaaamn low.
Cons: Thoguh its costeffective its pretty expensive and takes a lot of itemslots to build.




I gave that... girl a Rabadons. Girls love rabadons´s
Pros: Gives you tons of damage and more healpower. It´s friggin rabadons you know why.
Cons: Doesnt give any CDR nor it makes you tanky. I´d pick it up quite late.




Might be an effective pickup especially on Topraka which ill introduce you soon enough.
Pros: Gives you CDR , active is great for teamfights, also HP and armor. Builds out of HoG
Cons: As a finished item it´s fine but till then you dont profit from its features too much. Takes alot of itemslots and doesnt give you the Damagetz.




I won´t explain this further:
Pros: Gives you permaslow since the duration of the slow is about the same as the Basecooldown on starfall. Makes you tanky as hellll and hard to kill. You´re literally turning into a debuffing machine with this. She got almost NO inbuild utility. This item compensates greatly for that.
Cons: I actually don´t see any cons.



[img=items/will-of-the-ancients.png
This item should be nerfd.
Pros: Gives you lanesustain. Synergizes pefectly with doubleAP and even better with your passive in combination with that fact. grants you AP and sometimes a single: can be enough to live through the Early-Midgame. You´ll kite LIKE A BOSS with this item.
Cons: Actually. the Pros outweight the poor Cons so i dont even need to describe any cons. There are actually no Cons. Just things missing a lilbit.




If you´re far behind in mid and desperately trying to catch up, or you just want to have fun and never die this item is the right choice.
Pros: Grants you HP, CDR and bonus on your heal.
Cons: Doesn´t build into anything, takes an itemslot with it. Doesnn´t grant you damage.




DO NOT BUY THIS ITEM!
It shreds through the enemy´s MR percentage-based so if you lowerr the enemy´s MR by 80 down from fE 95 ,you´ll only shred through 15 of their MR... Meaning your MR-shred is pretty much totally useless...
^cons.
Pros: Get outweighted or negated by the Cons. Thank you Mr.Commentator for pointing this out for me.




Your Diplomatic immunity for 2 seconds.
Pros: YOURE FUCKING GOLD!!!
Cons: Thiefs like Gold.

No seriously. Gives you a ton of AP and armor and is an awesome both defensive and offensive Item. Should be considered to pick. Maybe instead of frozen heart if youre more the aggressive player.

Increases surrounding allies' magic resistance by 16.




Meh.



Strikes nearby enemy units for 60/85/110/135/160 (+40% of ability power) magic damage and reduces their Magic Resistance by 8/9/10/11/12 for 8 seconds This effect stacks up to 10 times.

Cooldown 2.5 seconds
Cost 35/40/45/50/55 mana
Range 660


This is just .... sick. 2.5Second cooldown on a spell with meh Scaling ratios but great harrassing potential. it´s base damage and MR shred defenitely make it worth maxing first.
PRO:
Low cooldown, relatively high damage, consistent MR shred stacking up to -80(!) MR





Restores 70/140/210/280/350 (+45% of ability power) health and grants 25/50/75/100/125 bonus armor for 5 seconds.

Cooldown 20 seconds
Cost 80 / 100 / 120 / 140 / 160 mana
Range 750



Open Menu.
click on Keybindings
Set Selfcastspell-2 on [space]... profit.
Helps at outsustaining trading and baiting. Before you get hextech it´s your main healing ability. if youre not THAT aggressive prelevel 3 take it at level 4 and max it after q. If its going up and down and youre struggeling at very early trades take it at level 3 and max it after q.




If cast on an allied champion, restores 25/50/75/100/125 mana to the target, and an equal amount to self. Does not double on self cast.

If cast on an enemy champion, silences them for 1.5/1.75/2/2.25/2.5 seconds and deals 50 / 100 / 150 / 200 / 250 (+75% of ability power) magic damage.

Cooldown 10 seconds
Range 725


Aggressive play:
Since it instasilences and got a fine range use it after 1 or 2 starcalls after the MR sank.(as long as youre in range for e press q like a madman then fade out the harass by nuking a good amount of their HP away with e)

Semiaggressive play:
See them come for you. outrange them with silence. while its proced head in for 1-2 starcalls + 1-2 autohits. move out. profit.

Passive play:
Use on engaging enemies. run away kiting with your q and e. Save heal for the last moment for baiting . else: play it save.



Early: More of an aggressive spell
Mid: Good for smaller engages.
Late: More of a passive spell.





Instantly restores 200 / 320 / 440 (+70% of ability power) health to all allied champions.

Cooldown 120 / 90 / 60 seconds
Cost 100/175/250 mana




Level it as usual. Use it for bait or to support sidelanes in early/mid. Use it for protecting yourself in teamfights or to healnuke all nearby allies. in best case scenario for both.

You get kind of dumped on. Level heal at level 3. continue maxing q first.

you get totally dumped on. Level heal at level 3. Switch between maxing q and w after your needs.

You dominate. Level heal at 4 silence at 2 and max q first. afterwards max your heal.

When i first had the idea to play soraka mid it was Galio freeweek. I was like: Wouldnt it be fine to be able to shut down galios lane and somehow manage to make him less usefull in late?
The answer was THIS whole guide you see there.


AP soraka IMO is one of the best counterpicks to AP galio MID.
Your q basically doesnt only shred his MR it also shreds his AP. Combine those two and you got a harmless puppy as oponent in mid. Also: your silence outranges all of his spells+ they all are objectile based so your silence will hit first. Your q is about on the same rangelevel as his main damage abilities are. Just hammer it whenever he comes near.


Her range is Semiclose and soraka can Zone her quite well. This matchup really favors Soraka, though you need to watch out for ganks when one of her stuns actually procs.


c-c-c-c-c-c-combobreaker. This matchup is close. Make sure not to overextend.

This poor young lady needs to come close to proc foxfire or how it´s called. As soon as she does punish her with your Starstuff. Note to yourself: The silence is useful but if shes smart shell activate foxfire before shes going in. Not that it makes too much of a difference, but don´t expect her to do absolutely NO damage.


Soraka basically makes her Eggform totally useless.


Back off before level 3-4. head in afterwards.(don´t be too afraid of her level 6)


You can pretty much dump on her since your silence outranges ALL of her abilities.
though her 6 is scary... Care for ganks.


Who even plays laningfiddle?! Dump on it.


His rockets will outrange you but your pushing makes his turrets entirely useless in lane. Just push him out and try to outfarm him. With the help of your jungler make sure to get some kills.


She is melee and got a channeling ult. MAKE HER PAAAYYY!!!


Both silences got about the same range. But most malz´s will cast it if you come towards them right at your position. just head in towards him after your silence procs. Then: Make it rain.


Interruot his second bomb. trade blows. But care! His damage output can be supersick.


Even though your q charges up his passive:
Your silence outranges his.
you got ranged attack animation.


You can really ruin this guys day.


You CAN zone her. Just hit q´s and autohits and as soon as she hits her poison silence her and back off. You will do about the same damage she did ,maybe more with your q´s ,give it a bonus with your e which most likely will hit a target with -10 MR and finish it with healing yourself.
take care for ganks since this will 100% push your lane. She will outdamage you in the lategame though. I am still working on a build for that. The max. Spellvamp build is working hella good though.


He won´t get any farm but take care of his stunring. It will shut down aggressive play and support ganks heavily.


You hardcounter this fellow cause of his weak laning. I would care for his level 6 though if he gets it BEFORE you get yours. Else its harmless.


Pretty even match-up. His harrass is good thanks to his e. if he procs his stun you´ll take the same damage you´ll do.


All of your spells outrange his. Especially your silence helps you as soon as he comes close enough. keep hitting q´s and autohits. If you play it fine you can completely shut down his farm and experience. Not too easy til level 4 but from then more than easy. One note: If he reaches level 6 before you do stay passive or youll die quite surely.


Though your silence outranges his. if he goes health or MRheavy he´ll just wait through the silence countersilence and instantly outburst you and get out away in time. Also youre running low on armor since the economy is runnin bad and so you couldnt buy some neat armor... And talons love champs running low on armor. Also cant rlly be countered by the passives of Frozen Heart or Randuins... Playing against him is just a total backbreaker.
outranges you too hard. too much instaburst+too much CC to handle
Same as ^
same as^
-Your q procs his passive
-It actually IS possible to win this lane. But theyll just focus their jungle onto you . no matter what you will lose this lane against a smart team. If not against her you will lose it against their jungler.
-his w hurts.
She will simply STOMP you if played ap.


I did not have the chance to try other Match-ups so far. But as soon as I did I´ll upload the results.

Try to stay aggressive and trade blows. In a matter of fact you almost ALWAYS come out on top(thanks to Mr shred+silence+heal).

Head right into battle with
if they decided to harrass you. Make sure to blow the silence last in this scenario to maximize its damage output.
Dont forget about autohitting your oponent


For zoning and aggressive pushing. Make sure you dont forget the autohits.

If you get ganked and the jungler is CC heavy silence him or your AP oponent depending on the amount of burst/cc they can bring to bring you down.
Else:
Running+q for quite good kiting.

YOUR HARRASS IS A LONG TIME HARRASS since other champs whoms harrass is good (like orianna fE) can perform high damage in a few seconds you need to hit 2starcalls to make significant damage. But since you head for them directly anyways this shouldnt be a problem.

Also: Make sure to burn your heal as late as possible if your jungler is nearby and setting up for a countergank.
But don´t overextend.

I think i do not have to mention THAT WARDING IS SUPERIMPORTANT!

Your strong laning really helps you out.
Your q is such a hard pushing ability that they have to take you down before they attempt a dragon. Around the 10minute mark when the people first go for drake, or after important elements of your teamcomp got killed, or if top acts strange and is coming for mid/drake area, make sure to push as hard as you can. For this you really need good map control. Let your jungler stay nearby your lane for counterganks.
Back out if the situation wouldn´t be handable.

Stay in the middle fo your team, throw q´s. If someone engages towards YOU use your silence. Else hide behind your team and maximize their damage with this:

Burn heal if needed.
Else do typical AP carry stuff.

I WILL WORK ON THE GRAMMAR MISTAKES LATER! PPLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FACT THAT GERMAN IS MY NATIVE LANGUAGE KTHXBAI!

I hope my guide turned you into a real man/woman.
Soraka is the MOST BADASS CHARACTER IN THE GAME!
Got it?
Have fun steamrolling.

A perfect example of AP SORAKA IMBANESS!